See the list of Latter-day Saint apostles who have thrown baseball’s ceremonial first pitch

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Apostles have thrown ceremonial first pitches at Major League Baseball games for a couple of decades now, including the one thrown last week by Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

So, which apostles have thrown first pitches through the years? Here’s a comprehensive list:

• Elder Stevenson threw out the first pitch before a Kansas City Royals game in Missouri on Aug. 6 .

• Elder Dale G. Renlund tossed the ceremonial first pitch as part of “ Latter-day Saint Night at Camden Yards ” before a Baltimore Orioles-Tampa Bay Rays game in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 25, 2022.
• Elder David A. Bednar threw out the first pitch for the church’s Family Night at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, on July 22, 2019, before a game between the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics. Elder Bednar threw a strike from the mound.

• Three days earlier, on July 19, 2019, Elder Neil L. Andersen was the honorary pitcher before a Los Angeles Dodgers game against the Miami Marlins in Los Angeles. See his throw from the mound here . This was the year the name of the annual church event at a Dodgers game changed to Latter-day Saint night instead of Mormon Night.
• Elder Ronald A. Rasband handled the first-ball ceremonies at the Los Angeles Angels game in Anaheim, California, on July 27, 2018, before a game with the Seattle Mariners.
• Elder Stevenson threw out his first ceremonial first pitch as an apostle at a Los Angeles Angels baseball game in Anaheim, California, for that team’s 19th annual Mormon Night game against the Chicago White Sox on July 15, 2016.
• Elder Andersen also was the honorary pitcher before a Dodgers game on July 1, 2016 .
• Elder Bednar threw out the first pitch before a Dodgers-Cardinals game on June 27, 2014 .
• Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, now acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve, enjoyed the honor before a Dodgers game in L.A. with the Philadelphia Phillies on June 28, 2013.
• Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf was a counselor in the First Presidency when he threw a first pitch before a Dodgers game against the Mets on June 29, 2012.
• Elder Quentin L. Cook threw a strike at Dodger Stadium before a game between the Dodgers and Washington Nationals on July 22, 2011.
• Elder M. Russell Ballard was the honorary pitcher at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 6, 2009.

• The late Elder Robert D. Hales threw the the ceremonial first pitch right into the glove of his catcher, Elder Nelson D. Cordova, a newly called Area Seventy, on July 19, 2007 during a night for Latter-day Saints at Dodgers Stadium.
• The late Elder L. Tom Perry threw a first pitch before a Red Sox game in Boston against the Royals on May 8, 2004. Who knows, maybe the Red Sox fan throw contributed to breaking “ the Curse of the Bambino ” as the team ended the season by winning its first World Series in 86 years.

If you know of another Latter-day Saint apostle who threw a ceremonial first pitch, let me know at twalch@deseretnews.com.

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Behind the Scenes

Apostles aren’t the only general church leaders who have thrown a ceremonial first pitch.

Relief Society General President Linda K. Burton threw out the first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game on July 10, 2015.